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PHAEDRA 
NITOKERT 



By 
EDITH OLIVER DUSMET 



PRIVATELY PRINTED 



^0 






Copyright 1911 

by 

Edith Oliver Dusmet 



CCI.D 25601 



PHAEDRA 



PHAEDRA 

Phaedra, wife of Egeus, King of Athens, loves Hip- 
polito, son of Egeus by a former wife. Hippoliio repulses 
Phaedra, who, being endowed with magic, calls down on 
the head of Hippolito the vengeance of the gods. 

Scene: Archaic Greece. 

Heroic Epoch. 



DRAMATIS PERSONAE 

PHAEDRA 

EGEUS 
HIPPOLITO 

AGATA 

Slave and confidant of Phaedra 

VIRGIN 
Sent by Minos as a present to Hippolito 

Eunuch 



[See page 29 for pronunciation] 



PHAEDRA 

SCENE I. 

Phaedra — Weep, O ye the mourners, 
Weep, O ye my women; 
Weep the lost beloved ones, 
Our brave great warrior men. 
O, thou great Jove and father, 
Our great god father in heaven, 
Bring back our young Hippolito, 
Too young by far for warrior. 
Bring out thy long black veils, 
O, ye the mourning women, 
That when the sun goes down 
The gods may give us victory. 

Agata — O, mistress dost thou see? 
Through yonder window there, 
As birds upon the heavens. 
Some sails are coming here. 



PHAEDRA [Scene 

Phaedra — Yes, so sure I see them coming, 
On yonder far horizon. 
That our most great Athena 
Could not gainsay me nay. 

Agata — And see, O mistress mine, 
'Tis no black sail I see, 
'Tis all one long white line. 
The sail of victory. 

Phaedra — Go, call the mourners now 
And tell them all to cease. 
That Hippolito's come. 
And come with victory. 

— Exit Phaedra, 

Agata — My mistress most almighty, 
Most divine and perfect Phaedra, 
Doth love her step-son here, 
Our young brave Hippolito, 
Our young brave Hippolito, 



12 



I] PHAEDRA 

Too young by far to suffer. 

What will Egeus say, 

Our noble king, his father? 

Enter Hippolito, running, 

Hippol. — Where is gone my mother? 
I have brought her many tidings, 
I have brought her many trophies, 
I have brought her many slaves! 
Run call her here to me 
And tell her to make haste, 
I must tell of my exploits, 
She will but love to hear. 
O, how we slew the Thebans! 
Their blood ran here and here; 
O, how we gave them battle! 
And took all they held most dear. 
Now I will go to find her, 
And tell her, should she come, 



13 



P H AE D R A [Scene 

To await me in this room, 
That I will come anon. 

Enter Phaedra, 

Phaedra — Was Hippolito here? 
I heard his voice anow, 
I did most quickly come 
But see that he is gone. 
But hast thou heard, O Agata, 
O Agata, my slave. 
What sent Minos, King of Crete, 
To Hippolito the most brave? 
He sent him three great gifts. 
The first a sword of massive gold 
And studded with such gems 
'Tis a marvel to behold. 
And then a pair of horses 
Of the whiteness like the moon, 



14 



PHAEDRA 

And Apollo in his chariot 

Would run less fast than they. 

And, listen what he sent him 

And what I will not have — 

He sent him one fair virgin 

Of the beauty of the gods; 

But, no, I will not have it, 

Her face he shall not see; 

Run thou, and bring her hither. 

Bring her here to me. 

She is lodged in yonder room 

Above the peristyle. 

Over to the right. 

Thou canst not fail to see. 

She is as beautiful as Venus, 

As Venus the most fair, 

This simple virgin slave, 

The virgin the most fair. 



15 



P H AE D R A [Sctn* 

Enter Agata with Virgin. 

Phaedra — O, here she is, this virgin, 
Her beauty I will see, 
Unveil, O slave, thy face. 
Unveil at once to me. 
How earnest it now that Minos, 
That Minos, King of Crete, 
Bethought of thee as gift 
To throw at Hippolito's feet? 
Unveil, O slave, thy face 
That we may see thy beauty. 
That 'tis, as some do say. 
As like our goddess Venus. 
Ah, thou art timid, virgin! 
Then will I help thee then, 
'Tis only for a glimpse 
At those great eyes of thine. 
— Pulls aside veil. 



16 



/] PHAEDRA 

But thou art fair indeed! 
By Venus I would wager 
That thou wouldst well compare 
And even in thy favor. 
And thou hast come for Hippolito? 
So Minos he didst $end thee? 
But 'tis not for this fair year, 
O, virgin, thou willst win him. 
— Phaedra stabs Virgin^ who 
falls in arms of Agata, 

Agata — O, mistress, what hast thou done.? 
What will our master say? 
And this poor virgin dead 
On this most happy day! 
'Tis surely bad augury, 
'Twill bring some dreadful sign, 
'Twill change the minds above 
Of our great gods benign. 



17 



P H AE D RA [Scene 

Phaedra — Enough, thou foolish woman, 
Take thy amulet in hand 
And pray our gods above 
To forget thy foolish words. 

Agata, holding amulet and praying to the 
gods — But fear I do indeed, 

I fear the vengeance of the gods, 
I fear some dreadful thing. 
Some thing I know not of. 
O, ye great gods above. 
Keep away this evil eye. 
Watch over and protect us 
And watch we do not die. 
Watch over Hippolito 
And keep him from all harm, 
Watch over him and help him, 
And make him happy as the dawn. 



18 



//] PHAEDRA 

Make the day a long one 
And bring the sun to set 
Upon us in all comfort 
When we lay down to rest. 

SCENE II. 

Enter Hippolito. 
Hippolito—^Tis only I, my mother, 
'Tis Hippolito, thy step-son, 
Who loves thee as a mother 
And has been to thee a son. 
What sport it all has been! 
And the horses how they ran! 
I would that thou hadst seen 
Thou wouldst have loved it so! 
But come to-morrow on the terrace, 
And from the terrace thou wilt see. 
Wilt see the horses pass like 
lightning, 



19 



P H AE D RA [Seem 

The horses driven by only me! 
But thou art sad, my mother dear, 
What thing doth worry thee? 
Tell it to thy Hippolito, 
Tell it, mother, tell it me. 

— Hippolito takes her hand 
and fondles it as a son, 

Phaedra — O 'tis nothing — perhaps the 
day. 
This day so sultry and so warm; 
I feel sometimes as if my throat 
Was being strangled 
While my heart was torn. 

HippoL — O, not so, my mother dear, 
'Tis but some foolish thought of 

thine; 
Think not so, O mother dear, 
O, not so, O mother mine. 



20 



//] PHAEDRA 

Phaedra — I am not mother, O Hippolito; 
Call me Phaedra, call me that, 
Forget thou call'dst me ever mother, 
Call me Phaedra, only that. 

Hippol. — Ah, not so, O my mother, 
Say not that, not that to me. 
Thou art not Phaedra, 
But only mother, mother only to me. 
But why didst say that 
To put in the thorn 
That will now prick 'twixt thou, 

mother, and me? 
Now let me go. 
Things all seem so changed, 
For my only ideals 
Have crumbled to dust. 

— Exit. 



21 



PHAEDRA [Scene 

Phaedra — So now have I lost 

What I strove for so hard — 
The love of the boy — 
And won but his scorn. 
But how, he does scorn me, 
And dares to defy me. 
Me, daughter of kings! 
I would rather he die. 
O, ye great gods. 
Bring down on his head 
Some awful thing 
That he may be dead. 

A gala runs in, 

Agata — O Phaedra, mistress, how dare 
I say 
Such dreadful tidings 
I bring this day.f^ 
This day so full of joy and smiles 

22 



//] PHAEDRA 

That we all thought was one great 

smile. 
O Phaedra, mistress, mistress mine. 
How shall I say 
The dreadful news I bring this day? 

Phaedra — What sayst thou, woman. 
What tidings bringst thou? 
Say it at once. 
Tell me, I say. 

Agata — But how dare I say it, 
O mistress most fair. 
Our poor Hippolito, 
Whom we loved so much — 

Phaedra — Hippolito, sayst thou? 
What has happened, I say? 
Tell me, O slave, 
Or 'tis thy last day. 
Speak woman, — thy tongue. 



23 



PHAEDRA [Scene 

Or hast It been cut? 
Answer thou stupid, slave that thou 
art. 

Agata — Hippollto while driving 
His white fiery steeds, 
The steeds of Apollo, 
That were sent him from Crete, 
On the high rock embankment 
Above our fair city. 
The horses aifrighted 
And down the steep rocks 
To the waters below. 
To the dark gloomy kingdom 
Of Poseidon were thrown. 

Phaedra — 'Tis all me, 'tis my fault, 
And I knew it too well, 
Evil woman I am 
Of the dark fatal omen. 



24 



^/J PHAEDRA 

Enter Egeus. 

Egeus — ^Thou hast learned the sad 
tidings, 

Phaedra, my wife. 

And what shalt thou answer 
Before me, thy lord? 
And how shalt thou answer 
Before our great gods? 

Phaedra — Forgive, O my lord, 
Forgive, O my king, 

1 have brought evil oriien 
Unto thy great house. 
Forgive and forget. 

I will go far away 

Where none shall e'er find me, 

Where none shall e'er stray. 

As the flowers grow beneath our feet. 

As the sun comes out at morn, 



25 



P H AE D RA [Scene 

So was my love for Hippolito, 

A love I would have ne'er forsworn. 

Yet as a bird of evil omen, 

So come I of magic people, 

Yet my magic brought me no joy, 

It brought but death unto all people, 

Death it brought to Hippolito, 

Death it brought to thee, my 

king. 
For it tore out thy whole heart, 
And has made thee childless. 
Forgive, O Egeus, 
Forgive, O my lord. 
For 'tis not only thee. 
But I also who suffer. 

Egeus — I grant thee all forgiveness, 
O Queen of evil omen, 
Thou hast made my heart a nothing 



26 



II] PHAEDRA 

And I suffer more than men. 
Go with all thy women, 
Make a pilgrimage of years 
Unto where the gods abide — 
Perhaps they will give thee cheer. 
Go to Mount Olympus, 
The throne of our great gods — 
They may deign thee light 
And help for future years. 

Phaedra — ^Weep, O ye the mourners, 
Weep, O ye my women, 
Weep for my lost soul. 
My soul of evil omen. 
Weep, O ye the mourners, 
Weep for many years, 
Till all be death and ashes 
In this great world of cheer. 
Take out thy tear jugs 



27 



PHAEDRA 

And weep upon the graves 

Of all our men and heroes, 

Of all our sons so brave. 

And I will go away 

Upon this pilgrimage, 

Will weep that my tears too 

May help our dear ones gone. 



FINIS 



PRONUNCIATION 

Phaedra (Fay'-dra) 

Hippolito (E-po-leet'-o) 

Egeus (A-jay'-us) 

Agata (A-ga-ta) 

Minos (Mee'-nos) 

Athena (Ah-tay'-na) 

Poseidon (Po-si'-don) 



NITOKERT 



NITOKERT 

Nitokcrt, wife of Menkaura, King of Egypt, erects 
to his memory the first pyramid built in Egypt, Menkaura 
having been assassinated by a party of conspirators headed 
by his brother, Aahotep. Mempi, High Priest of Amen, 
envious of the favor Menkaura had shown the priesthood 
of Ra, aids Aahotep in the assassination. 

At the great banquet given to inaugurate the new king 
Nitokert has the conspirators poisoned and afterwards 
herself takes a draught from the effects of which she dies 
sleeping. 

Scene: Memphis, Egypt. 

Epoch: 4800 B. C. 



DRAMATIS PERSONAE 





NITOKERT 






Queen 






AAHOTEP 






King's Brother 






MEMPI 






High Priest of Amen 






NEFERT 






Priestess of Amen 






AMSI 




High 


Officer in Egyptian 


Army 


Eunuchs 




Chorus 


Slaves 


Flower 


Children 



[See page 65 for pronunciation] 



NITOKERT 

SCENE I. 

Queen Nitokert seated on the throne. 
Enter King^s brother, Aahotep, 

Aahotep — Hail to thee, O Queen, 
Hail to thee, great Queen, 
Hail to thee, O Nitokert, 
Wife of Menkaura! 

Nitokert — Rise, O brother, from off thy 
knee. 
Use not thy knee to me, O friend, 
Forget, O brother, I am thy Queen, 
And think of me as Nitokert. 

Aahotep — How durst I, though, forget 
this thing. 
How dare I think of thee as other? 
What would my noble master say, 



N I TO KE RT [Scene 

Great Menkaura, my brother? 
Thou art most fair, O noble Queen, 
Too fair for one so stern. 
He thinks of naught but sacred rites, 
His eyes toward thee not even turn. 
Give me one look from those great 

eyes, 
Those eyes of deep night dreams; 
Give me a smile from that sweet 

mouth, 
That mouth of promises so sweet, 
And thou'lt see if thou thinkst me 

not, 
Thinkst me not more than Menkaura, 
He who would pass to equal the 

gods, 
Ay, and to equal our sun-born Ra. 

Nitokert — Away with thee now, O my 
brother Aahotep, 



38 



/] N I TO KE RT 

How darst thou say such vile things 

to me? 
Thou forgetst, perchance, thou art 

the vassal 
To thy brother, liege lord, and to me. 
— Exit Nitokert. 

Aahotep, soliloquizing — She says right, 

my sweet queen, I am the vassal, 
Though slave she might have said 

better, 
To this priest of a king whom I 

hate but the sight, 
And whom the gods have made me 

the brother. 
But wait, what is that I see now 

before me? 
My brother there dead? 
And the kingdom is mine and 

Nitokert fair 



39 



N I TO KE RT [Scene 

Is mine then to wed? 

Yes, I will do it, by the gods I do 

swear. 
And thou, O great Ra, be my help 

in this now. 
If I succeed I will build thee a 

temple so great 
That all others will seem but small 

huts in thy wake. 

Enter Mempi. 

Mempi — What is it, my lord.f* 
My lord seems disturbed. 
I am a thought reader, 
A gift from the gods. 
Who knows if, perchance. 
Thy plain servant here 
Might not have some thoughts 
Most like unto thine? 



40 



/] N I TO KE RT 

Aahotep — What sayst thou, man? 
Thou thinkst like me? 
In what way dost thou mean? 
I cannot yet see. 

Mempi — I heard thy rash words, O most 

noble prince, 
I think as thou thinkst and will do 

as thou dost. 
I hate the great king; he thinks 

to do all; 
He aspires to be god and would see 

us all fall. 
Fall the priesthood of Amen. 
So hopes and aspires the great 

Menkaura. 

Aahotep — Thou too would help me 
demolish this tyrant, 
Re-establish our doctrines in this 
our fair land? 



41 



N I TO KE RT [Scene 

Then I would be king and would 

rule with great justice, 
I would give and donate to the 

priesthood of Amen 
One-sixth of the part of this our 

fair land. 
But stop, for I hear the step of 

one coming, 
'Tis a woman I judge by the way 

that she walks. 
Yes, to be sure, 'tis our most fair 

Nefert, 
Our great lady, the Priestess of 

Amen. 

Mempi — Thy cousin Nefert will be also 
with us. 
For she dreams and she thinks of 
none other but thee. 



42 



/] N I TO KE RT 

See her step there so listless, her 
sweet face so lovelorn, 

She confides all her loves and her 
troubles to me. 

Aahotep — O most noble lady, most noble 

Nefert, 
Why so sad is that fair face so sweet? 
Thou seemst to scorn me as if thou 

didst hate me, 
I, who would throw my own heart 

at thy feet. 

Nefert — Ah, 'tis true, Aahotep ? I thought 

thou didst scorn me, 
I thought thou didst care but little 

for me. 
It seemed that thy thoughts were 

many leagues off, 



43 



N I TO KE RT [Scene 

But many, so many great leagues 

off from me. 
If thou couldst love me a little, 

but such a small bit, 
I would laugh like the lotus, the 

lotus so sweet, 
I would sing like the birds in the 

sycamore tree, 
In the sycamore tree so high. 

Aahotep — O my cousin, so sweet, I love 

thee so much. 
Come to me now, come now at once. 
Come now to my palace, come with 

me now, 
'Tis the moment I dreamed but did 

tarry so long 



44 



N I TO KE RT 

Aside to Mempi — 

I will talk to her now when I have 

her with me 
Alone and secluded where no one 

will see. 
Her help shall we have and will 

fix the great day, 
Will fix the great day, the greatest 

of all, 
When the King Menkaura will be 

king no more. 

SCENE II. 

Nitokert enters and sees corpse oj 
Menkaura on the ground. 

Nitokert— O, ye gods, ye great gods! 
What is this I see ! 
My King, my sweet lord. 



45 



N I TO KE RT [Scene 

Is it true that I see? 

Is it true, O ye gods, 

That ye have now robbed me 

Of all that I held the most dear on 

this earth, 
And that now ye have thrown me 

the black widow's veil. 
And have made this great hall the 

sad hall of dearth? 
What shall I do? 
Where shall I go? 
Slaves, eunuchs there. 
Call the mourners here now. 
Lift your great lord, 
Walk with most care. 
Carry him yonder 
To the great throne room there. 
I will build him a tomb 
Such as none have e'er seen, 

46 



//] N I TO KE RT 

'Twill be a marvel for all 

In the long future years. 

'Twill be like a great mountain 

That groweth up in a plain, 

'Twill be covered with marble 

Of a white the most vain. 

'Tis my lord's brother Aahotep 

Who did this cruel thing, 

Who did murder his brother 

That he might be king. 

The kingdom he has won. 

But he has won even more, 

He has won my great vengeance, 

And 'tis a hard one indeed. 

For 'twill never die 

Till it sees his heart bleed 

And thrown out his body 

To rot and decay. 

And his bones there unburied 



47 



N I TO KE RT [Scene 

For many a day. 

Sees phantom of god pass 
'Tis thou, O great Ra, 

great father god 
Who abides in the stars, 
Far above the great clouds. 
Tell me, O god, O tell me, I pray, 
Who were the murderers of this my 

good lord. 
Of my lord of great justice, the good 

Menkaura. 
Aahotep? Yes, I thought, 

1 was sure of this thing. 
He did murder my lord 
That he might be king. 
And Mempi sayst thou? 
The most venered of men, 
Is it true that he, too. 

And the high priest of Ameri? 



48 



N I TO KE RT 

And then our good Amsi — 

O, no, not he too, 

He the great warrior. 

He also untrue! 

And then is it true, 

I can hardly believe, 

My sweet friend Nefert, 

O, I cannot conceive 

That she, too, would turn traitor 

And slaughter our King, 

And what motive had she? 

O, I cannot believe. 

They are traitors all four, 

And I vow on their heads, 

Before thy image, O Ra, 

My most dreadful revenge. 

But what if they too 

Would attack me the first 

And kill me before 



49 



N I TO KE RT [Scene 

I avenge the most just? 
They must not imagine 
Or think I believe 
Aught of their part 
In this wicked deed. 

— Exit Nitokert. 

Enter Nefert and Aahotep. 

Nefert — 'Twas a most wicked deed, 
I weep it but much, 
It haunts me by night 
And pursues me by day. 

Aahotep — How foolish thou art 
To think in this way; 
We must laugh and must sing 
On this most great day. 
To-morrow ere Ra 
Lifts his great golden face 
Will see me the king 



SO 



//] N I TO KE RT 

Of this our great land, 
Will see me the ruler 
Of this ancient race. 

Enter Mempi, 

Mempi — Hail to thee, O my prince, 
O, my future proud king! 
To-morrow will see thee 
Upon the gold throne, 
And on thy right finger 
Will I place the great ring, 
The great ring of all Egypt, 
Of Egypt all thine. 
Of Egypt most ancient. 
Of our gods most divine. 

Nefert — I am sad, O good Mempi, 
I am sad with great woes; 
I have dread premonitions 
Of dread things untold. 



51 



N I TO KE RT [Scene 

I fear for to-morrow 
I see not yet why, 
I fear some calamity, 
I fear we all die. 

Enter Amsi; salutes Prince. 

Amsi — I have but now seen the Queen 
And she suspects naught. 
She spoke with effusion 
And called me sweet names, 
She asked of the army 
And spoke of my fame. 
She spoke well of thee, 
Of thee, my great lord; 
Spoke of thee, Mempi, 
And asked for Nefert. 

Nefert — O let us forget. 

Forget this dread thing; 
Let us drink and be merry 



52 



///] N I TO KE RT 

For to-morrow thou'rt king. 
Thou'lt be king, Aahotep, 
With to-morrow's blue sky. 
Eat, drink and be merry, 
For who knows when we die? 

SCENE III. 

Banquet Scene to Inaugurate Aahotep as 
King of Egypt, 

Flozuer children passing before King throw 
flowers at his feet. 

Chorus — Great Amen above 
Our great god art thou, 
Great god of our Egypt, 
Great Amen art thou. 

Aahotep — Come, drink of the wine. 
So strong and so sweet, 
Come, drink of the wine. 



53 



N I TO KE RT [Scene 

Of the sweet scented juice, 
O ye the divine. 

Nefert — Come, drink and be merry, 
And be this our life. 
And let us forget 
This hard world of strife. 

Mempi — To thee, O my king, 
To thee a long life; 
May thy justice be great 
That thy tread may be light. 
May our great god above, 
Great Amen divine. 
Preserve thee and guide thee 
And help thee and thine. 

Chorus — Great Amen above, 
Our great god art thou, 
Great god of our Egypt, 
Great Amen art thou. 



54 



///] N ITO KE RT 

Aahotep — I swear by great Amen, 
By his most great name, 
That I'll be of all justice. 
And to all be the same. 
Now most noble Queen, 
I beg and I pray 
The half of this throne 
Thou'lt share me this day. 
And as is the custom 
In this our fair Egypt, 
Thou'lt wed thy new king, 
O, my fair Nitokert. 

Nitokert — 'Twill be a great honor 
My new lord doth do me, 
'Twill be a great pleasure 
My great King doth give me. 

Amsi — Great greetings we offer 
The new King and Queen, 



55 



N I TO KE RT [Scene 



Great prayers we bestow 
For a long, happy reign. 

Aahotep — Come, now bring the wine 

And let us be gay, 

Let us drink the sweet grape 

To this most great day. 

Slave passes with wine and fills cups 
of all, 

Mempi — Come, sweet Nefert, 
Come to my arms, 
I will whisper sweet dreams 
That tell of thy charms. 

Amsi — ^No, here my sweet love, 
Forget not thy slave, 
I would pass through all battles 
Thy warm love to save. 



56 



^//] N I TO KE RT 

Aahotep — Here I drink to ye all, 
To ye all, my friends; 
I drink to sweet love, 
And to our great god Amen. 

Nitokert — Eat, drink and be merry, 
For to-morrow we die; 
We may all lose this life, 
Who knows where or why? 
But now, first of all, 
May I pray ye, my friends, 
That we hold this great banquet 
To this, our late King. 
And we pray the good gods 
His soul now to speed 
To the land of great lands, 
The land off so far. 
The soul of the dead, 
Of the dead Menkaura. 



57 



N 1 TO KE RT [Scene 

Drink now to his soul, 
Drink all ye, my friends; 
And now offer prayers 
To our great god Ameri. 

Chorus — Great Amen above. 
Our great god art thou, 
Great god of our Egypt, 
Great Amen art thou. 

Nitokert — Drink, O my friends, 
Drink, all of ye now, 
Drink to the dead, 
The dead Menkaura. 

All drink of the poisoned wine Nitokert 
had had prepared, 

Amsi — My heart — , how it burns — , 
Oh—! 

Mempi — We are poisoned — , 'tis thee — 
O great Queen — , 'tis thee! 



58 



///] N I TO KE RT 

Aahotep — O venomous woman — 
Our curses we call — 
On thy blood — on thy soul — 
And on thee! 

Nefert—0\i—\ 

Nitokert, looking at corpses of Aahotep^ 
Amsi, Mempi and Nefert — 

Now thou art avenged 
Thou greatest of kings, 
I, too, will now go 
For my soul is at ease. 
I will now go to thee. 

take my soul, Ra, 

1 will now go to join 
Our great Menkaura. 



59 



N I TO KE RT [Scene 



SCENE IV. 

Death Scene of Nitokert. 

Nitokert — Farewell, O Egypt, 
Fair land of beauty, 
Home of our gods. 
Land everlasting. 
To thee, O farewell. 
How can I leave thee, 
O, Egypt most fair. 
With thy skies of turquoise 
Of a blue the most rare? 
O, how can I leave thee? 
My tears fill the Nile 
And water the lotus. 
The sweet smelling lotus, 
The blue, sacred lotus. 
The lotus divine. 
And thou, O great land, 



60 



If^ N I TO KE RT 

Where our gods did abide 
And rule us like kings 
With laws most benign, 
What will happen to thee? 
The stranger will take thee, 
Will bend thy proud neck, 
Will call thee barbarian 
And ignore thy descent. 
O, I weep, my poor Egypt! 
They will laugh at our gods. 
Their great pride will bend. 
Will scoff at our learning. 
They will not comprehend. 

O, I weep for thee, Egypt! 
And now must I go 
On the dark winding road. 
The road that have gone 
So many before; 
In the far away land, 



61 



N I TO KE RT [Seem 

To the land far away, 
In the land of our Isis, 
In the land of Osiris, 
Beyond the white clouds 
Towards the great setting sun. 
Death is for all, 
'Tis now come for me, 
I but eat of it 
As a fruit off a tree, 
For fear knows not me. 
Takes goblet of deadly sleeping draught. 
I drink from this goblet 
The hard fruit of strife, 
Through it I may taste 
The sweet fruit of life. 
The fruit of life eternal. 

Farewell, O Egypt, 

O Egypt, farewell. 
Drinks draught. 



62 



IF] N I TO KE RT 

Come slumber, sweet slumber. 

Sweet slumber of the night, 

Thou encirclest my brow 

With thy band but too tight. 

Come slumber, hard slumber, 

'Tis no longer sweet; 

I see naught but great phantoms 

Of all whom I meet; 
Come slumber, 
Come slumber forever. 

In the cold damp ground. 

To eternal oblivion 

To all others around. 
Come slumber forever. 

FINIS 



63 



PRONUNCIATION 

Nitokert (Nee-to-kairf) 

Aahotep (Ah-ot'-ep) 

Mempi (Mem'-pee) 

Nefert (Nef-fairf) 

Amsi (Ahm'-see) 

Ra (Raw) 

Amen (Ah-men') (Ah'-men) 

Menkaura (Men-kaw-raw') 

Osiris (O-seres) 

Isis (E'-ses) 



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